MSC Statement on Pittsburgh City Council’s Misguided Resolution on Shale Gas Development

Canonsburg, Pa. – Earlier today, the Pittsburgh City Council passed a resolution calling for a statewide ban on clean-burning natural gas from the Marcellus Shale for an entire year, including the development of those resources on privately-owned land. Kathryn Klaber, president and executive director of the Marcellus Shale Coalition (MSC), issued this statement in response to Council’s resolution, which carries no legal authority:

“Today’s action by the Pittsburgh City Council is unfortunate, unnecessary, and frankly, ill-advised. Most troubling, it comes at a time when the responsible development of clean-burning natural gas from the Marcellus is creating tens of thousands of jobs for residents all across the Commonwealth, breathing new life into our economy at a time and place when it’s perhaps never been needed more.

“Unfortunately, Council appears to have bought wholesale into the argument that Marcellus exploration represents a threat to our water and surrounding environment, notwithstanding a mountain of evidence from EPA, DEP and a just about every environmental regulator across the country that says precisely the opposite. Council has instead decided to take a position that’s unsupported by science, an affront to the rights of landowners, and very much at odds with a budget picture that could be significantly improved under a scenario of safe development and enormous revenue generation within the boundaries of the Council’s jurisdiction.

“Producing more energy here at home creates good-paying jobs, and helps drive down our nation’s dependence on unstable and unfriendly regions of world for the energy we need to fuel our economy. Pennsylvanians overwhelmingly understand this. Job-creators and small business owners understand this, too. It’s unfortunate that Pittsburgh City Council does not.”